Apparatus for making roof trusses



Jan. '7, 1969 Filed Sept.

G. H. BOWERS, JR 3,420,534

APPARATUS FOR MAKING` ROOF TRUSSES Sheet 6. HUNTER BOWERSl JR Q-.TM

ATTORNEY Jan 7, 1969 G. H. BOWERS, JR 3,420,514

APPARATUS FOR MAKING ROOF TRUSSES 6. HUNTER BOWE/PSI Jl?.

ATTORNEY United States Patent O 3 Claims The present invention relatesto apparatus for assembling structural elements to form prefabricatedbuilding units and the invention more specifically pertains to equipmentfor supporting preformed rafters and other preshaped structural elementsin proper relationship to each other to provide prefabricated rooftrusses.

An object of the invention is to provide apparatus for supportingrafters in inclined positions with respect to each other and in slopingrelation to the horizontal including means for maintaining angular endsof the rafters in abutting relationship and means supporting and holdinga bottom chord of the truss in proper relationship with the rafterswhile such structural elements are secured to each other.

Other objects and vfeatures of the invention will be appreciated andbecome apparent to those skilled in the art to which the inventionpertains as the present disclosure proceeds and upon consideration ofthe annexed drawings taken in conjunction with the following detaileddescription wherein an exemplary embodiment of the invention isdisclosed.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of apparatus embodying the invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional View on a larger scale and taken on the line 2-2of IFIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a similar view taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of one of the stirrups for supportingthe bottom chord of a truss and taken on the line 4 4 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of an abutment mem.- ber for engagingan end of the top chord of a truss and taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of a stop member for the bottom chordof a truss and taken on the line 6-6 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is an elevational view taken on the line 7-7 of FIG. 1 showingmeans for urging the bottom chord of a truss into engagement with theweb means of a truss.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary elevational view of end portions of a roof trussillustrating means for maintaining the rafters and the bottom chord inassembled relationship.

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary elevational view showing the manner in which thebottom chord of a truss is maintained in engagement with a king post orweb means of the roof truss.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of an assembled roof truss.

The invention pertains to apparatus for holding preshaped structuralelements in proper assembled relationship while such elements aresecured to each other to provide a roof truss and an example of such aprefabricated building unit is shown in FIG. 10. It comprises rafters 12and 14 with their pre-cut ends in abutting relationship to form a topchord of the truss. The rafters may have any suitable angularrelationship to provide a desired pitch for the roof of a building andthe abutting end surfaces of the rafters 12 and 14 may be formed so thatthey are in full engagement for the desired slope of the roof. The trussincludes a bottom chord 16 which may be of one piece and forms a ceilingjoist. Any type of web arrangement may be provided for joining the3,420,514 Patented Jan. 7, 1969 rice bottom and top chords and in oneembodiment such web means takes the form of a king post 17. The surfacesat the ends of the bottom chord 16 are formed at an angle so as to be infacial abutting relationship with an edge surface of the respectiverafters 12 and `14.

Apparatus for supporting such structural elements in proper relationshipand for holding them while they are secured to each other is shown inFIG. 1 and includes a frame consisting of a plurality of upright members21 which may be maintained at generally erect positions in any desiredmanner. The upright members 21 may be formed of rectangular stock asshown in FIGS. 2 and 3 and the front face 22 of each post is desirablysupported in a substantially vertical plane common with the front faceof the other upright members. A rst bar 26 adapted to support one rafterin an inverted position is supported near its lower end by a bolt 28which extends through an intermediate one of the upright members 21. Thebar 26 may be hinged about the bolt 28 to change the angular position ofthe bar 26 in relation to the horizontal. It is for this purpose thatthe upright member 21a is provided with openings 23 at vertically spacedintervals for receiving a removable bolt or pin 29 which extends throughthe bar 26 permitting the angular position of the bar 26 to be changedand thereby alter the roof pitch of the truss. A second bar 27 forsupporting the other rafter is swingable about a bolt or xed pivot 31and the upright member 2lb is equipped with vertically spaced holes 23for receiving a removable pin or bolt and the spacing 0f these holescorresponds to the spacing of the holes in the upright member 21a. Thusthe slope of the bar 27 may be altered to correspond to the inclinationof the bar 26.

Each upright member 21 carries a ilange 33 with its rear face iu acommon substantially vertical plane with other flanges 33. Each flange33 is provided with vertically spaced holes. The flanges 33 provideImeans for supporting a rafil 34 along the rear faces of the uprightmembers 21. The rail 34 is supported by removable bolts or pins 36 whichextend through the rail 34 and a hole in the respective flanges 33. Theposition of the bar 34 may be adjusted vertically 4on the posts 21 butit is desirably maintained in a substantially horizontal position.

An abutment member shown generally at 41 in FIGS. 1 and 5 is mounted .oneach bar 26 and 27 for longitudinal movement with respect thereto. Theabutment member 41 carrfies an upstanding arm 42. These abutment membersmay be secured in adjusted positions on the bars 26 and 27 by tighteningthe hand screw 44. In assembling a roof tnuss the rafter 12 is placed inan inverted manner on the angularly disposed bar 26. The other rafter 14in its. inverted position is arranged on the bar 27. The rafters may Ibemoved downwardly on these bars whereby the angular shaped end surfacesof the rafters are brought in to face to face engagement. The abutmentmember 41 at the end of the rafter 12 is moved longitudinally on the bar26 and the arm 42 engages the end surface 43 Iof the rafter 12 as shownin FIG. 8. The hand screw 44 is then tightened to lock the abutmentmember 41 on the bar 26. The abutment member 41 on the bar 27 issimilarly adjusted and locked. Such means hold the angular end surfacesof the rafters 12 and 14 in abutting relationship.

A plurality of han-ger stirrups 48 are supported on the rail 34. Thehanger stirrups are movable longitudinally on the rail 34 and may besecured in adjusted positions thereon by any suitable means such as theclamp structure shown in FIG. 4. An arm 47 extends laterally from eachstirrup as shown in FIG. 4. The bottom chord or ceiling joist 16 is thenpositioned with one edge on the arms 47 whioh support the structuralelement 16 in a substantially correct position with its angular ends 513 (FIG. 8) for face to face engagement with edge surfaces of therespective rafters 12 and 14. While the bottom chord 16 is thussupported web means which may take the form of a king post 17 isarranged in inverted position thereof in proper relationship between thetop chord and the bottom chord.

It is important that the dimensions ind-icated at D in FIG. 10 should besubstantially equal. In order to insure pro-per positioning of theceiling joist 16 with respect to the rafters two stop members showngenerally at 56 are mounted for longitudinal movements on the rail 34.Each stop member may be clamped to the rail 34 by means of a clampingelement 57 (FIG. 6). Each stop member 56 carries an abutment plate 58for engaging the inverted bottom edge of the ceiling joist 16 as shownin FIG. 8. A lip 59 on the plate 58 engages the en-d of the angularsurface 51 on the bottom chord member 16. Such means insures that thebottom chord is in a proper position substantially at right angles tothe -bisector of the angle formed by the rafters 12 and 14 and with itsangular end surfaces in abutting relationship with an edge surface ofthe associated rafter.

Additional means 61 is carried by the rail 34 and adjustable therealongfor maintaining the bottom chord 16 in engagement with the king post 17or other web means extending between the top and bottom chords. Suchmeans may take the form of a cylinder 62 (FIGS. 7 and 9) adapted toreceive air under pressure and move a piston rod 63 to apply verticalforce to the joist 16 and position it with respect to the end surface 64on the king post.

With the structural elements thus held in assembled relationshipapertured plates indicated at 66 (FIGS. 9 and l) may be attached t-oretain the structural elements to each other and the components of thetruss are maintained in proper relationship with each other while theplates 66 are applied. It will be observed that the Side faces of therafters which lie along the front faces of the upright members 21insures that the rafters are in a common plane. The ceiling joist 16when gripped by the stop members 56 also promotes attachment of thebottom chord element to the rafters 'and in a plane common with that ofthe top chord. The assembled truss may be removed from the apparatusafter the means for holding the parts 1in assembled relationship havebeeen released.

The apparatus may be employed for the manufacture of various types ofroof trusses and the arrangement of web means between the top chord andthe bottom cho-rd may be varied and formed of more than one element.Various types of devices may be mounted on the rail 34 for supportingand positioning intermediate portions of the bottom chord. While theinvention has been described with reference to apparatus of oneorganization it will be appreciated that changes may be made in theelements and in the overall assembly. Such modifications and others maybe made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention asset forth in the appended claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. Apparatus formaking roof trusses comprising, a frame including a plurality ofhorizontally spaced upright members, a front face on each upright memberwith all of said front faces in a substantially common vertical plane, abar mounted at its lower end portion for pivoting about a horizontalaxis on an intermediate one of said upright members and inclinedupwardly therefrom along the front faces of other of said uprightmembers, one of said upright members near the upper end of said barlhaving vertically spaced openings therein for receiving removable meanssupporting the upper end of the bar in different hinged positions, asecond bar mounted at its lower end for pivoting movement about ahorizontal axis on another intermediate one of said upright members and`inclined `upwardly therefrom along the front faces of other of saidupright members, one of said upright members near the upper end of saidsecond bar having vertically spaced openings therein for receivingremovable means supporting the upper end of said second bar in differenthinged positions, a substantially horizontal rail extending along rearfaces of said upright members, means carried by said upright members forsupporting said rail in different vertical positions of the rail, meansadjustable along the rst bar for engaging a free end of a rafterthereon, means carried -by the second bar for engaging a free end of arafter supported thereon, stop means carried by said rail engaging anend of a 'bottom chord of a truss where it engages a rafter while it issupported on said bar, and stop means carried by said rail for engagingthe other end of a bottom chord of the truss where it engages a rafterwhile it is supported on the second bar.

2. Apparatus for making roof trusses 'according to claim 1 wherein thelower end of said first bar is spaced from the lower end of said secondbar whereby adjacent ends of the rafters may =have free abuttingrelationship.

3. Apparatus for making roof trusses according to claim 1 includingmeans carried by and movable along said rail for applying vertical forceto said bottom chord.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,870,531 l/1959 Hudson 269-2993,109,640 ll/ 1963 Schnekloth 269-73 3,112,925 12/1963 Hammer 269-25ROBERT C. RIORDON, Primary Examiner.

D, R. MELTON, Assistant Examiner.

1. APPARATUS FOR MAKING ROOF TRUSSES COMPRISING, A FRAME INCLUDING APLURALITY OF HORIZONTALLY SPACED UPRIGHT MEMBERS, A FRONT FACE ON EACHUPRIGHT MEMBER WITH ALL OF SAID FRONT FACES IN A SUBSTANTIALLY COMMONVERTICAL PLANE, A BAR MOUNTED AT ITS LOWER END PORTION FOR PIVOTINGABOUT A HORIZONTAL AXIS ON AN INTERMEDIATE ONE OF SAID UPRIGHT MEMBERSAND INCLINED UPWARDLY THEREFROM ALONG THE FRONT FACES OF OTHER OF SAIDUPRIGHT MEMBERS, ONE OF SAID UPRIGHT MEMBERS NEAR THE UPPER END OF SAIDBAR HAVING VERTICALLY SPACED OPENINGS THEREIN FOR RECEIVING REMOVABLEMEANS SUPPORTING THE UPPER END OF THE BAR IN DIFFERENT HINGED POSITIONS,A SECOND BAR MOUNTED AT ITS LOWER END FOR PIVOTING MOVEMENT ABOUT AHORIZONTAL AXIS ON ANOTHER INTERMEDIATE ONE OF SAID UPRIGHT MEMBERS ANDINCLINED UPWARDLY THEREFROM ALONG THE FRONT FACES OF OTHER OF SAIDUPRIGHT MEMBERS, ONE OF SAID UPRIGHT MEMBERS NEAR THE UPPER END OF SAIDSECOND BAR HAVING VERTICALLY SPACED OPENINGS THEREIN FOR RECEIVINGREMOVABLE MEANS SUPPORTING THE UPPER END OF SAID SECOND BAR IN DIFFERENTHINGED POSITIONS, A SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL RAIL EXTENDING ALONG REARFACES OF SAID UPRIGHT MEMBERS, MEANS CARRIED BY SAID UPRIGHT MEMBERS FORSUPPORTING SAID RAIL IN DIFFERENT VERTICAL POSITIONS OF THE RAIL, MEANSADJUSTABLE ALONG THE FIRST BAR FOR ENGAGING A FREE END OF A RAFTERTHEREON, MEANS BY THE SECOND BAR FOR ENGAGING A FREE END OF A RAFTERSUPPORTED THEREON, STOP MEANS CARRIED BY SAID RAIL ENGAGING AN END OF ABOTTOM CHORD OF A TRUSS WHERE IT ENGAGES A RAFTER WHILE IT IS SUPPORTEDON SAID BAR, AND STOP MEANS CARRIED BY SAID RAIL FOR ENGAGING THE OTHEREND OF A BOTTOM CHORD OF THE TRUSS WHERE IT ENGAGES A RAFTER WHILE IT ISSUPPORTED ON THE SECOND BAR.